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National Weather Service Confirms EF-1 Tornado Hit Sallisaw

Strong winds sent sheet metal and other debris flying through the air Saturday night in Sallisaw on US-59 just south of Interstate 40.

The National Weather Service confirms an EF-1 tornado touched down south of Sallisaw at 11:20 p.m. Saturday.

The tornado was 250 yards wide and traveled for one-half mile with winds between 100-110 mph.

The strong winds sent sheet metal and other debris flying through the air on US-59 just south of Interstate 40. A report from the NWS says the tornado destroyed several wood framed barns and severely damaged the roof and windows of a home.

Chris Reese and his two sons, Everett, 9, and Garrison, 7, were home during the storm. Reese said when he heard the strong winds, he looked out the window.

"Tornado coming right across that ridge," he said as he pointed to the field across the street. Reese said he immediately told his sons to take cover in the bathroom.

"I ran in and jumped on top of them, pulled the folding table in on top of us on top of the bathtub," said Reese. He said it sounded like shotgun shells going off when the wind hit their home.

Even after the tornado passed and they got out of the house safely, they still had to beware of power lines which had been blown down by the tornado.

"We heard it pop up there and we both stepped to the side, and it fell right beside us," said Chris' brother, Kenny Reese. "(The power line) caught on fire and sizzled, sparks flying. Looked like a big welder up through there."

Friends and neighbors stopped by the Reese home Sunday to help clean up the damage. "Always surprises you who all will show up when something like this happens," said Reese.

No one was injured in the tornado.

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